Saints produced their best performance of the season but were cruelly denied a draw by an injury-time penalty at the Emirates.
Claude Puel’s side enjoyed an excellent first half and were well worth their 18th-minute lead when Dusan Tadic’s free-kick rebounded in off Petr Cech for an own goal.
Saints were ahead for the first time this season when Tadic’s left-footed strike hit the underside of the cross bar and bounced in off Cech, after Nacho Monreal fouled Nathan Redmond in a central position on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area.
Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny equalised with a stunning 30th-minute bicycle kick - but Saints had chances to retake the lead.
Shane Long had the best of them, dinking over Cech but beyond the far post after a brilliant Tadic backheel, before being denied by the goalkeeper’s feet when fellow sub Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s shot was saved.
But in injury-time they conceded a penalty after the slightest of tugs on Olivier Giroud’s shirt by Jose Fonte.
Fonte, understandably furious as Giroud was giving as good as he got, was booked - and Santi Cazorla sent Fraser Forster the wrong way.
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